Ground-joint clamp.



J. C. VOGEL.

GROUND JOINT CLAMP.

APlLIoATIoN FILED JUNE 22, 1910.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

WITNESSES ATTDR ,QL/M.

` JOHN c. VOGEL, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRoUNDJoIN'r CLAMP.

Specicgtion of Letters Patent.

' Patenten Feb. 18,1913.

Application tiled June 22, 1910. Serial No. 4568,299.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. Vomit., a citizen of the United States. residing in thc city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and uscful Ground-Joint Clamp, lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to clamps for ground wire connections and has for an object to provide a connecting attachment whereby a ground wireI can be quickly and conveniently secured to a gas or water pipe` or equivalent device, whereby the' electrical continui between'the wire and the pipe shall be interrupted to the least possible i degree.

, sectional elevation of the same. I and -t' represent, respectively,

.In ground clamps as heretofore constructed', ithas been found in ,practice that the parts are liable to become loose and form a po-or connection or else the parts corrode, whereby the conductivity thereof is materially lessened, while in many such devices the parts are tightened directly againsttlie pipe or conduit, thereby injuring it. t

In myk present invention I have devised a clamping device simple in construction, elicientin operation andone which may be conveniently secured to a gas pipe, water pipe or other conduit without any previous preparation and whereby a perfect electrical connection-is maintained, regardless of the surrounding conditions.

It. further consists of other novel features `of construction, 'all as will be hereinafter fully set forth. I

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown Iinthe accompanying drawing one form thereof which is at ypresent preferred by me, since' the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be iinderstood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the 'precise arrangement and organization o-f these instrumentalities as herein shown and described. Figure 1 representsl a perspective of a. ground clamp embodying my invention in position upon a pipe. Fig. 2 represents a Figs. 3 perspectives of certain of the parts. Fig. 5 represents a sectional 'elevat-ion of another embodiment of my invention. Fig. 6 represents a perspecotl which the fol-v tiveof one of 4the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fi 0. 7 represents a plan of Fig. 5.

corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to`the drawings: 1 designates a body' portion or member, 1n the present in-` stance substantially channel-shaped, having the top 2 and the sides 2", the latter each being preferably provided with an opening or slot 3 adapted to receive a bandit, which is passed about a suitable support or conductor 5. The body portion 1 is' also provided with an opening 6, preferably screwthreaded to receive a machine screw 7, or equivalent device, the same being vutilized for the purpose of securing the ground wire 8 and other cooperating parts together. t) designates a second body portion', holder or `member, also preferably of channel form,

having the sides 10 thereon. In the'pres'entinstance the body portion 9 is suliciently Iimilar numerals vof reference indicate large to fit over the body portion 1 andv telescope therewith under the action of the screw 7, it being noted that an aperture 11 is provided therein to permit thescrcw A7 to passlthrough and into engagement.` with the screw-threaded opening 6.

In the operation of the device the band 4 is passed through one of the opcnings and its end bent into contact with the conductor 5, whereupon the body of the band 4' is brought through the other opening 3, -as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thusgripping the bent end against the side.of the conductor to prevent loosening or slipping of the band. The ground wire 8 is now passed under the head of the screw 7 and the latter inserted into the openings 11 'and 6, whereupon the two members may be drawn together, thus causing the band 4 to be drawn tightly around the conductor 5 and the clamp firmly mounted in position.

Attention" is directed to the fact that in this type of clamp the means fortightening the band 4 do not come into direct contact` with the conductor at any point and the entire tightening takes place through the telescoping of the two channel-members.

It will benoted that-the novel construction herein disclosed makes it possible to roo use bands of various lengths 1n order to.

v vised a novel and useful construction Which` first member whereby said band may be l placed in operative position.

.band passing through both openings 3 and- 'circle a suitable conductor and pass through having slots 13 therein, suitably spaced apart in order to receive the sides 2x of the member 1, on Which the holder 12 is fitted. The screw 7, during the tightening action, directly engages the holder 12 and forces the same down to bind the band passing through the openings 3.

In Fig. 5 I have shown one end of the of course it will be understood that there are various Ways in which the band and clamp may be interlocked for the end desired.

It Will now be apparent that I have devised a complete, unitaryfstructure, Whereby an etiicient electrical connection may be made between a suitable surface and the band and the clamp may be readily attachedwvithout taking the same apart and that the parts are few and inexpensive.

4 It will noW be apparent that I have deembodies the features of advantage enumer-; ated fas desirable in the statement of thei invention and the above description and While I have in the present instance shoWn and describedl `the preferred embodiment; thereof which has been found in practice to'give satisfactoryand reliable results, it,V is to be understood that the same is suscep-z tible 4'of modification in various particulars!l Without departing from the spirit or scope' of the invention or sacricing any of its! advantages. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as nevvand desire to secure by Let--v ters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character stated, a member, a second member entirely inclosed` by said first member and having an opening in each side thereof, a band adapted to ensaid openings, and means coperating with said members to tighten said band around said pipe, said means serving to move said second member partially outside of saidV '2. In a device of the character stated,two

body portions, each having .top and side' plates suitably spaced Bapart, one of said body portionsbeing adapted to tit entirely Within the other and be inclosed thereby,

a band connected with a suitable part of said body portions, and means actuating said body portions vfor tightening the band around a suitable support.

4. In a device of the character stated, a

. channel member having an yopening therein,

a second channel member telescopically arranged With respect to said first channel member and having a slot in each side thereof and a screw threaded opening, a band adapted to encircle a suitable conductor and pass through said slots and a binding screw passing through .said members and adapted to draw one-of said members entirely Within the other whereby said band is tightened around said conductor, said f screw serving to move said second channel member partially outside of said first chan- .nel member, whereby said band may' be placed inoperative position.

5. In a device of the character stated, an

outer member, an inner apertured member of substantially ychannel shape adapted t`0 move entirely Within said outer member, a band adapted to encircle a suitable conductor and pass through said apertured inember, and means for supporting said inner member partially outside-of saidA outer member and for tightening said band about said conductor.

JoHN c. VOGEL. 

